Report by SJG

FRIENDLY

BOLTON WANDERERS vs WIGAN ATHLETIC

9^th July 2022

WYKE IS SPOT ON AS WIGAN TRIUMPH AGAIST LOCAL RIVALS.

Wigans next outing was a behind closed doors friendly against a strong Bolton Wanderers XI.

The game, which saw a total of 22 Latics players getting game time was played at the Bolton training ground in Lostock.

Following a closely contested half-hour, which saw Amos in the Latics goal kept busy as he was called upon to make a number of fairly routine saves, Bolton were awarded a soft penalty when Shinnie was adjudged to have bundled over Aaron Morley.

Elias Kachunga stepped up but fired his effort over the crossbar. Latics then earned a penalty of their own as a fine cross field ball by Jack Whatmough was collected, on the run, by McGrath, he then continued his driving run into the Bolton box before being upended by Jack Iredale.

Charlie WYKE stepped up to calmly slot home the spot kick as he sent young James Trafford, in the Bolton goal, the wrong way.

Half Time; Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

Richardson made ten changes to the Wigan line-up at the break, with only Tom Pearce remaining on the field.  The new line up defended well but lacked some fluidity in attack as Bolton pressed for an equaliser.

Conor Bradley and former Latic George Johnston both spurned decent chances to equalise in the period shortly after the break, but thereafter Wigan managed the game well and in the final minutes could have added to their goal tally.

Good play by Magennis created a shooting opportunity for Aasgaard and his shot from 20 yards brought a fine save from Joel Dixon in the Bolton goal. From the resulting corner, taken by Robinson, Jason Kerr produced a powerful header that was cleared off the goal-line.

Magennis fired a shot narrowly wide from distance, before Kieran Lee saw a similar effort well saved by Jamie Jones.

Full Time; Bolton Wanderers 0-1 Wigan Athletic.

Scorers; Wyke (35, pen).

Team; WIGAN first half (4-2-3-1) --- Amos; Carragher, Whatmough, Bennett, McGrath; Power, Shinnie; Pearce, Lang, Humphrys; Wyke;

WIGAN second half (3-4-2-1) --- Jones; Kerr, Hughes, Tilt; Darikwa, Pearce, Naylor, S. Smith; Aasgaard, Keane; Magennis;

SUBS--- Robinson (for Pearce), Adeeko, Sze;

Referee; Not Known.